The best player on the roster? Luka Doncic isn't there yet, but he has been this for the Mavericks

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Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket during the second half a game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Sunday, October 28, 2018. (Ryan Michalesko/The Dallas Morning News)

Eddie Sefko, Mavericks beat writer for SportsDayDFW.com and The Dallas Morning News, answered your questions about the team in a live chat recently. Here are some highlights.

Is Luka Doncic the best player on this Mavericks roster?

Sefko: Let's just say that he may not be the best player right now, but he's without question the most important player on the roster. He's the future, along with Dennis Smith Jr., as things stand now. DeAndre Jordan, averaging a 14-12 double-double right now, and a healthy Harrison Barnes may be "better" players right now. But maybe not. Doncic appears to be the real deal with a great future ahead. Here's hoping he continues to move in the upward direction because this franchise clearly needs that.

Was the DeAndre Jordan-Luka Doncic rebound controversy blown out of proportion?

Sefko: Of course it was. That's what we do in sports these days. We take relatively harmless moments and make them into WWIII. It's what drives the business. The games themselves don't matter as much anymore as the intrigue that happens in and around them. Of course, in a town with the Cowboys, Rangers, Mavericks and Stars (who thankfully are showing a pulse), what else are we going to talk about?

The Mavericks are dead last in the West and losing games to teams that are openly tanking. How alarming has this start been?

Sefko: First off, I wasn't aware that teams openly tank in the first month of the season. Somebody call Adam Silver. Get Robert Sarver on a Dr. J. podcast. Come on. Everybody in this league tries until at least Christmas. Then, if hope is gone, creative lineups and interesting injuries tend to pop up. But to the crux of your question, the start to this season has been very alarming. Nobody expected this to happen. And it may get worse. But if you're going to lose seven of nine games at some point in the season, best to have it happen in the first nine games. We'll see what kind of backbone the players on this team have in the next month. Or, maybe, the talent just isn't as good as we thought it was.

Who's Luka Doncic's biggest competition right now for Rookie of the Year honors?

Sefko: You have to figure it's Deandre Ayton and Trae Young, but don't be surprised if Marvin Bagley Jr. gains some steam if the Kings continue to stay in the playoff picture as the season goes along. Solid rookies who help winning teams often get a spike in ROY attention. But as things stand now, I'd say it's Luka's trophy to lose.

Is Luka Doncic liked by his veteran teammates?

Sefko: Wanted to answer this one right after his health question. After practice Monday, he was doing shooting games with Dwight Powell. I expect him to do more of the same with Dirk when Nowitzki gets healthy enough to make sure he doesn't get beat every time by the rookie. Hey, right now at 2-7, everybody is on edge with everybody around Mavericks' central. But Luka's a good guy. He's just going to need some time to fit into America and the NBA.